Visited a men’s bible study that was being held by a local pastor at his local church the other night and in light of our reason discussion on water baptism, this subject came to mind. It is my opinion it is wrong to add to God's word in this manner.

The pastor that held the local bible study is a fairly young man and a zealous and passionate speaker. His church has around 250 in local weekly attendance.

During the bible study session I noticed something that I have noticed with many other preachers and teachers during sermons and studies and that is adding things to the text that are not there or not teaching all of the context. When I mean adding things, I mean adding actions, or objects that the text does not include such as adding water to baptism when water is not the context.

Here is an example of what this local pastor might do. He would add prayer in this first part of the verse. The verse does not tell a man to pray, but to flee these things.

This certainly does not mean one cannot pray, but the point is that prayer is not indicated by the text in question.

The scriptures are constantly added to and changed to have alternate meanings that were not put forth by the writer. In other words, why add something when that something is not there? This is not always bad as in this case, but sometimes it completely changes a biblical doctrine to have a different meaning.

Here is an example of what might occur by not completing a context when teaching. Colossians 3:5 (KJV) 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

If you were only to hear this is who you are in when in Christ, you would not know this verse is about a child of disobedience that the wrath of God rest upon.

I find it challenging and disturbing when pastors teach this way. It is hard for men to “unlearn” something when they have put so much trust into a pastor because they will not search the scriptures to learn. The pastor has become their source of knowledge. It is not done out of a bad intent by the pastor, yet from ignorance it is erroneous teaching.

I remember a man saying he spoke with a different pastor about something that he thought the pastor was teaching incorrectly and the pastor acknowledged it was wrong and knew it was not correct by the bible, but he was going to continue teaching it in his church!

How do you seasoned men of God deal with this type of thing? I used to call them out in private in a spirit of meekness and give them God's word about it, but I never see them change their positions so I refrained from doing that.

Great post...I will be very interested in the comments. ....
Have had much experience in this and most not good.
Walking in love while confronting your brother or sister is an interesting experience, which can have strange and confronting reactions.
When someone is introducing strange half truths to lead people away from the group you are in, those who are spiritual will have a check in their spirit that some thing is not right about that person.

Visited a men’s bible study that was being held by a local pastor at his local church the other night and in light of our reason discussion on water baptism, this subject came to mind. It is my opinion it is wrong to add to God's word in this manner.

The pastor that held the local bible study is a fairly young man and a zealous and passionate speaker. His church has around 250 in local weekly attendance.

During the bible study session I noticed something that I have noticed with many other preachers and teachers during sermons and studies and that is adding things to the text that are not there or not teaching all of the context. When I mean adding things, I mean adding actions, or objects that the text does not include such as adding water to baptism when water is not the context.

Why didn't you quote the exact verse you feel was corrupted instead of using a "might do" situation?

Why didn't you quote the exact verse you feel was corrupted instead of using a "might do" situation?

You can pick most any verse for this thread and add something to it, although some are not as good to illustrate the point as others are. The ones I posted were what came to mind while posting. If you want more examples I can come up with some, however I think most get the theme.

The theme of this thread is about adding to God's word something that is not there and teaching without the entirety of a context. We can add much more to this such as prophecy, prayer, etc, yet I was trying to keep it simple to answer the question of how seasoned saints deal with this sort of thing.

People have different ways of dealing with this sort of thing. Some will talk to the person. Some will not say anything. Some will jot notes down. Some will get up and leave. Some will bring it out openly in the group and start contention. I am simply trying to see how mature saints deal with this issue.

I have found a different aspect to this adding or changing God's word.
I have many different translations of the bible and I have found that the author sometimes adds their opinion
into the text that is not in the original Greek.

Case in point.
The New Testament in Modern Speech: by R.F. Weymouth.
Matthew 27:63; NKJV saying, Sir, we remember, while he was still alive, how that deceiver said, After three days I will rise.

Matthew. 27:63; Weymouth;;;We recollect that during his lifetime that imposter pretended that after two days he will rise to life again.

Luke. 24:21; NKJV indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

Luke. 24:21; Weymouth;;; yes, and moreover it was the day before yesterday that these things happened.

Matthew. 12:40; NKJV For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matt. 12:40; Weymouth;;; For as Jonah was three days in the sea monster's belly so will the Son of man be three days in the heart of the earth.

Weymouth's notes on mat. 12:40; Three days. Lit. three days and three nights. a striking Hebraism, According to the Talmud a day and a night together make up a night-day, and any part of such a period is counted as a whole.
Thus in our Saviour's case the three night-days consist of about three hours on the Friday, the whole of the Saturday
(reckoned in the Jewish mode from sunset to sunset) ans the first half of the night- of the Sunday.

Because we do not believe something that is plainly written in God's word, does not give us the right to change, modify,
delete or add to what God has plainly stated.......

Weymouth's notes on mat. 12:40; Three days. Lit. three days and three nights. a striking Hebraism, According to the Talmud a day and a night together make up a night-day, and any part of such a period is counted as a whole.
Thus in our Saviour's case the three night-days consist of about three hours on the Friday, the whole of the Saturday
(reckoned in the Jewish mode from sunset to sunset) ans the first half of the night- of the Sunday.

This is interesting. Since I don't read much from different commentators anymore, I really don't pay much mind to this type of thing, but thanks for bringing this to our attention. It is good to be reminded of this sort of thing.

If one is heavily influenced and fully focused on stuff like this, they would wind up way out in left field and look at what would happen to those that they teach. In many circles, people don't open bibles, but put their trust in those that teach as if it were 100% facts.

Why didn't you quote the exact verse you feel was corrupted instead of using a "might do" situation?

You can pick most any verse for this thread and add something to it, although some are not as good to illustrate the point as others are. The ones I posted were what came to mind while posting. If you want more examples I can come up with some, however I think most get the theme.

The theme of this thread is about adding to God's word something that is not there and teaching without the entirety of a context. We can add much more to this such as prophecy, prayer, etc, yet I was trying to keep it simple to answer the question of how seasoned saints deal with this sort of thing.

People have different ways of dealing with this sort of thing. Some will talk to the person. Some will not say anything. Some will jot notes down. Some will get up and leave. Some will bring it out openly in the group and start contention. I am simply trying to see how mature saints deal with this issue.

OK, I thought you were quoting a specific instance from the place you visited.